Post-Egg Eggs at Parish Hall in Williamsburg

When Parish Hall opened late last year as the pricier offshoot of Egg, it wasn't too difficult to tell which direction it would take. The seasonal and local sensibilities of the owners had been written all over the old menu, even as the original egg-centric bill of fare had expanded into lunch and dinner stuff with a Southern tilt. So when the Parish Hall appeared on North 3rd Street, fans of the original wondered what role, if any, eggs would play.

"Dressed Eggs" at Parish Hall

Well, rest assured eggs are still important at Parish Hall, and I've recently had a chance to enjoy a couple of their ovum options. One of the plates designated "smaller" goes by the name of Soft-Boiled Egg, but presents itself as a warm soup. The egg is surmounted by toasted breadcrumbs and sits in a pool of parsnip puree. As the egg is cut into, its wobbly center leaks thick yolk into the soup. Pickled mushrooms and tiny cubes of ham provide flavor jolts in an altogether satisfying dish. If only there were an egg or two more.

Among the apps, find something called Dressed Eggs, which are Egg's take on deviled. Although ramped up with herbs and scallions, these basically taste like regular deviled eggs--which is all to the good as far as I'm concerned. Lift up one to discover that a little of the rich filling has been applied to the plate to glue each egg-half there.

Another small dish features a duck egg on toast. The menu is also rich in root-vegetables, country ham, and fritter and dumpling presentations, with the mains limited to a few--most of the action is in the smaller courses, in line with contemporary restaurant practice.